And I almost touched a fallen star
by Incantrix
Summary: While out on a little cabbit ride around the solar system with Tenchi and Sasami, Washu starts up a little...experiment. A story of a reflection...


~~~~~  
  
  
Author's notes/Disclaimer:  
  
Tenchi Muyo! is the are property of AIC and Pioneer. Tenchi Muyo! and all its characters were created by Masaki Kajishima. The author of this fan fiction therefore only owns the writings. This copyright is 2003 under Devin A. Brown.  
  
OVA continuality -- it breaks some rules, blah, blah...blah. I don't give a damn. Enjoy the read.  
  
  
~~~~~  
  
  
And I almost touched a fallen star...  
  
  
~~~~~  
  
  
She didn't know when is it going to end.   
  
Maybe it would happen in the next second. Maybe sometime during the next minute. The next hour...surely, history would correct itself. Or maybe...it would take a year.   
  
What the she did know...is that she couldn't remember was how long it had been.  
  
Without the moment, she couldn't remember the hugs from Tenchi and the rest of her family. She couldn't remember seeing circling sparkles of light, whether it was stars in the night sky or tree hanging candle lanterns in the evening dusk.   
  
"It has been...a while. Do you remember how long?" asked the curious voice, all full of wonder.   
  
"I do, little sister."  
  
"...But...has it been forever?"   
  
It had all started out as innocent as a newborn baby. A little of this, a little of that, and then-  
  
"When was it? When does it end..."  
  
She thought about the answer, whether if it were as simple as that. Maybe how long had it been? Maybe that was the answer....  
  
Well, she couldn't be perfectly sure. Only that it had been a long...long time...  
  
What if you were a bird, who had a nest the size of a house. You can't imagine how many branches such a nest would make. Each and every year, you would break one of your twigs. Eventually, you would have snapped every twig, and would signal the end of time. That would taken time. Maybe even an eternity.  
  
But not forever. Then, what if you were the same bird, and each and every year you flew to the tallest, grandest mountain, and pecked away just once at its rocky surface. That too, would take an eternity. Yet one day the mountain would be leveled, and then, it would be time.  
  
But again, not forever. Then, what if you were the same bird, and every year you came to a cherry tree and ate one of its fruits. Eventually, you the bird would have picked the tree clean of its prizes. Compared to the above, it would have been a relatively short amount of time.  
  
But if that tree was perfectly taken cared for each and every year. That meant, every year, that cherry tree would bloom and bourn new fruit. And if such were the case, then the time would always be everlasting, because you would always assured that would continue.  
  
"...It never ends, little sister. You must be careful what you wish for."   
  
  
~~~~~  
  
  
"Meya!" screamed the cabbit ship as she flew towards the darkened planet of Neptune. Large and sinister was the eight planet in the sol solar system.   
  
Then why are we here? thought Tenchi. He earnestly watched on the cabbit's view screen as they almost collided with dark vertical rings of ice while diving under the ice-planet's core.   
  
Wow! thought Tenchi, that was close! If they did become stranded on the other reaches of the solar system, it would be up to Washu and Sasami to call for help, certainly because no cell phone was going to reach Earth from 'way out here.' Damn, he could just imagine explaining their tardiness to Ayeka and Ryoko...  
  
"Where have you three been!" stormed the first princess of Jurai from out of the kitchen. She was tapping in her hand a soup ladle as if it were her personal spanking paddle. "I had to make dinner tonight because you and Washu went on some joy ride with my sister!"  
  
Tenchi tried to defend his actions by putting his hands up defensively, but before he could say one word, he was taken out by the sudden hug of Ryoko.   
  
"Are you OK Tenchi? I was so worried about you!" said the space pirate, swinging her arms around him as if he were a pole at a burlesque club.   
  
She nearly shunting off his breathing with that little maneuver. "Ryoko! I'm fine!" he howled, just managing to escape the space pirate's grasps.  
  
Ayeka continued her rant, as if egged on by Tenchi lackluster response. It didn't help that Ryoko was doing little faces from behind Tenchi's back. "Getting yourselves stranded...where! Well, I never!" The purple haired one had enough as she stormed back into the kitchen.   
  
"Meya..." mellowed the cabbit as she repositioned herself on top of Tenchi's head. She tilted her distraught furry face down, displaying it for all to see.   
  
"What did we do?" murmured Sasami as she leaned comfortably by Washu.   
  
Tenchi shook his head trying to bury his little scenario -- returning his focus back to reality. Dreaming up these crazy things would probably mean that they would come true.   
  
"Meya...meya!"  
  
Washu let out a little grin. "Yes, that was quite close of you, Ryo-ohki. Just missed some of those ice chucks by less than six feet. Careful of those gravity fluctuations little one, these places are trickier that they appear."  
  
"...meya..."  
  
The scientist smirked a bit, "Don't be cute." She got closer to the crystal and whispered. "Make it look a little bit challenging, aright..."  
  
"Meya!"   
  
"What was that?" asked Tenchi, turning his voice towards the scientist.   
  
Washu turned around the beamed at Tenchi. "Oh nothing to worry about...really!" She took a couple of steps forward toward the Earthen boy. "Was there something on your mind, Tenchi?"  
  
"No, don't think so..." He took a couple of apprehensive steps backwards, trying to avoid the grinning scientist. "It's quite all right, little Washu!"  
  
"Little Washu..." said the blue haired princess as she ran over to the redhead. "Did you know that these ice planets are so light that they can actually float in water?" Sasami tilted her head kawaiily, beaming a smile at the same time.  
  
"Why no, I didn't!" said the scientist, turning in her chair and clamping her hands on her holographic keyboard. The inquisitive one typed up a couple of lines and let the scenario run. Staring at the results left her quite unsatisfied, nevertheless she let out a spasm of excitement. "Sasami, where did you learn that recently?"  
  
The second princess of Jurai blushed as she watched Tenchi give her a nod of approval. "Well, you see, they have this great television channel for science. I think its called Discover. It's really good, I've been learning about all sorts of science like stuff!"  
  
The redhead's face darkened. "You have the greatest scientist at your disposal and you chose to learn knowledge from this backwater planet's picture broadcasts?"  
  
"Uh-huh, Tenchi showed me. He even show me how to record it." Sasami watched the scientist twitch at hearing her words.  
  
The redhead stared at Tenchi as if he were a Romulus slime worm. "How could you!"   
  
Tenchi sweat dropped, fingering his sweating collar. "Little Washu, I'm sure it's not that bad..."  
  
Sasami tried to soften the blow a little. "Well, actually...its not like that..." She twisted her foot, turning it softly before pulling it away. "I just wanted to learn, like in school. You know, like when the universe was made, it was from something called...the big bang?"  
  
The scientist frowned, scolding by pointing her index finger into the air. "Well, that isn't exactly correct in the specifics if correct in translation." She turned her attention back to Tenchi in a motherly manner. "Now, I can't have you running around giving out advice."   
  
Tenchi tried to object to the scientist's mocking. "But...but..."  
  
The redhead snickered a bit as she turned back to the little princess of Jurai. "We can't have Sasami out there telling everything all those half-truths. She needs to be raised properly, by the greatest scientific genius in the universe, the all knowing Washu!"   
  
"Little Washu!" Tenchi turned around the a crystal to rebuke at the scientist but quickly gave up the endeavor when Sasami's face got excited. After all, a big dent in his pride was less of a price than the ego brush off that the scientist had taken in the first place.  
  
The redhead folded her arms across her chest, questioning Sasami. "Well now. I suppose all that hocus-pocus can't be too bad. Now , let's get to the meat of it. What did you learn yesterday?"  
  
"Well, the astronomy show talked about..." The blue-haired princess poked at her chin, thinking out loud. "Hmmm...that when a star collapses, it makes a black hole. And that's the only way they are made!"  
  
"Oh dear Tsunami," exclaimed Washu, covering her eyes. "She's been brainwashed."   
  
  
~~~~~  
  
  
"...listen," said the voice. "All I ask you to do is listen..."  
  
But she couldn't do that. She would do whatever was necessary.   
  
Why, she asked herself? Why didn't she listen when it happened? One question, one moment, and then...poof, it would all be over.  
  
Then why was it still going on?  
  
"...Listen to your fellow sister," said the voice.   
  
But she didn't. She could have, truly could have. Yet she knew that if she didn't, then everything she knew would be OK.  
  
Yet, now she wasn't all that sure...  
  
"...I never thought...it would happen. Don't you see it...among your peers? That life that you need to go back to?"  
  
She did always see it. There...she had felt...left out. All this time, she wanted to save a life--always and always. Forever and ever.  
  
"No," she said, "I wasn't wrong. I do it...again."   
  
  
~~~~~  
  
  
Washu turned to her pupil with proud enthusiasm. "Well, you see, there are lots of places that black holes exist. It's true that they form when a star collapses on itself and dies." She held up her hand, flashing her fingers open and closed. "However, that's not the only place where they exist."   
  
As soon as Washu had flashed her fingers up once again, Sasami could see the space at her fingertips fold and disappear. "Wow! It's like magic," shouted the princess as her face lit up like a christmas tree.   
  
"Ehm..." said the scientist, coughing for a second. "Ex-cussse me!" The scientist gestured her hand in a quick wave, the black holes were gone.  
  
Tenchi's jaw dropped. "Oh my..."  
  
Sasami excitedly looked at the petite scientist, nodding her head for more. "That is great! Where else can black holes exist, little Washu?"  
  
"Actually..." She turned her chair back at her holographic laptop and grinned. "Well, if you're a good little girl, I'll show you that you can make a black holes...just about anywhere! In fact, your black holes don't have to be black at all." Washu pointed out on the view screen to the space next to Neptune. "Let's see now..."  
  
Tenchi apprehensively scratched the back of his neck. "Little Washu? Are you sure this is a good idea and all?"  
  
The petite scientist winked. "Sure it is! I wouldn't worry about it for one second. It's not like Ayeka mentioned that multi-dimensional space portals weren't allowed."  
  
Tenchi rubbed his chin. "Well, in that case, I guess it's OK." He sweated a little whiled tugging at his collar. "But...I don't think she wanted us leaving the solar system."  
  
"Oh really?" The scientist flicked opened her hand for just a second. "When did that rule happen?"  
  
"Ummm..." Tenchi sweat dropped, staring blankly at the complotting redheaded scientist. "Why do I think we're in trouble..."   
  
  
~~~~~  
  
  
Time would not move, yet the moment came again.  
  
"...Are you willing to listen to your sister?" asked the voice.   
  
"No," said the younger voice, squirming a bit. "I didn't ask for this, and now that's it happening, I don't want it to go like this. Please."  
  
"...Very well. But there will come a point when you...will need me. More than my use..."  
  
A long pause. "What did you mean by that?" asked the younger voice.  
  
"...Hmm... "  
  
"I just want to understand it. I...never really understood you and me. Please. Tell me."  
  
"...I will tell you so you may understand. But in the end, you must listen to me. Otherwise, the reason is useless."  
  
An even longer pause. "But..."  
  
"...please..."  
  
She sighed. "I will listen."  
  
"...Good. Now, how should it begin?"  
  
  
~~~~~   
  
  
Washu was typing nosily fast on her keyboard, the speed even impressive to Tenchi and the little princess. "Don't worry, I've just got to find a loose end on the other side of the galaxy." She stopped for a second to stretch her hands. "Oh girl, this is so much fun!"  
  
The scientist, instead of putting them in front of a view screen, had made Ryo-ohki's front a see-through bulkhead. It was as if the forward walls of the cabbit ship were now totally transparent. Tenchi swore that if he took two steps more, he would drift into the endless void of space. But all that was quite silly -- for the wall was still there, only noticeable by the faintest of touches.   
  
The brave cabbit ship was now carefully circling around the southern tip of Neptune, as if it were firmly tethered to the southern pole. It was a strange orbit that made Tenchi's stomach lurch, he could not make heads nor tails of it.  
  
"OK, now! Everyone carefully watch outside. I'm only doing this once today, you know. Stuff like this," said the scientist as she pointed to her own forehead, "can take quite some effort!"  
  
Sasami was practically jumping around, the energy to let out cartwheel at a moments notice. "We're watching, little Washu!"  
  
Everything was as if orchestrated by the maestro herself. It starting out as a fine point of light, a tiny sparkle of light so pretty in the sky. It exploded into a cloud of shimmering dust slightly larger than the cabbit's view portal. Everywhere the pixie dust expelled to glowed with a white gleam, as if the stardust from the creator itself.   
  
"Wow...but what are you doing, Washu?" asked Tenchi.  
  
"Nonsense! I'm not doing...I'm making!"  
  
And then, the blackness space turned white, kind of like photo negatively. Where the blackness of the sky was located was the object of Washu's desire: a swirling white hole in space, churning around like it had always been there.  
  
Sasami's eyes were as large as dinner plates. She clapped her hands playfully. "You did it, Washu! It's beautiful."  
  
"...Meya!"  
  
"What is it, Ryo-ohki?" said the scientist, relaxing back in her chair. "Something up?"  
  
A couple of new view screens popped up with the news, and it sure wasn't a pretty sight.  
  
  
~~~~~  
  
  
"...Now, little one. The first question is...do you understand who I am?"  
  
She let the awkward moment pass. "Hai. I know you're familiar to me."  
  
"...Very good." The hollow voice paused as if catching her own words. "You know, I haven't felt this young in years. And I mean that quite literally."  
  
The younger one turned and questioned her fellow sister. "But how can that be?"   
  
"...Come...let me show you."  
  
She tried to resist the pull; the lure; the fight for it all. She still didn't want it to happen. She no longer accepted it...as a possibility.  
  
"...Why do you fight me, little one? Can 't you understand that this is best for both of us?"  
  
"I don't want to... It's not the way its suppose to be." She stamped her foot in frustration. "The price...is not suppose to be this high!"  
  
A long pause. "...Hai, I understand. But it's not like that. Not at all."  
  
"Then," asked the younger voice, "What is it like?"  
  
  
~~~~~  
  
  
Washu frowned up at the view screen. "Ah geez, I can't believe they're here."  
  
Tenchi pointed at the large foreign ship. It was easily just as large as Kagato's ship the Soujo, yet quite different in its configuration. It was not a sleek as a G.P. craft or any other ships of the time; the vessel was menacing with its hazardly added weaponry and instruments. A hodge-podge of sorts was the best way to describe the craft.   
  
"They don't look very friendly," said Sasami, now slightly hiding behind Tenchi. "Whoever they are..."  
  
"I know who it is, even with that new interstellar neutron dish and second-rate propulsion engine." The redhead sighed, cupping her chin in frustration. "Romulus science pirates. Probably detected the fundamental change in the universe quotient. Foolish bakas, they decided to get sucked here by the white hole."  
  
"Science pirates?" asked Tenchi, raising an eyebrow. "I never heard of them."  
  
"Little Washu," begged Sasami, "Are they going to hurt us..."   
  
"Meya!"  
  
"Yea, I'll talk to them Ryo-ohki," said Washu. "They probably want to filet us open. Bastards."  
  
Tenchi cringed on his heel, instinctively checking his waist for his key. He let out a silent sigh of relief in finding the butt of his sword. "I'm not going to let that happen, little Washu."  
  
The scientist eased an open hand towards the boy, shushing him down. "Let me take care of this, OK?"  
  
Tenchi let his arms relax at Washu's mysterious plea. "Whatever you say. But I'm here if you need me."   
  
Another view screen popped up showing the cramped bridge quarters of the pirate ship. It wasn't just tight, it was decidedly dirty and full of scientific equipment. The center of the view screen was dominated by the Romulus captain. He was standing out of his chair with his back to the screen, busy marching orders to his crew. One of his men pointed, making the captain swing a look forward at the live monitor. As soon as he knew the signal was live, he theatrically raised his fist high into the air and barked out his welcome.  
  
"Bow to me third-rate mis-users of science! You are accused of being in violation of space code violation 16.4.5, the opening a white hole."   
  
"Oh dear me," murmured the redhead, taking the news like it was a dog and pony show. "Whatever shall I do?"   
  
"Because of this transgression, you will be boarded by our party. We shall siege your scientific equipment! You shall be punished for bringing us here!" The lanky blond-haired captain suddenly blinked at his opponent, taking a step forward to get a better look.   
  
"Washu? Is that you? What rock did you crawl out of!" The captain fingered his chair's control panel and smirked at the results. "No matter, that little ship you are in is no match for the likes of us!"  
  
"Long time no see, little Marvin," flatly stated the redhead, brushing off the captain like a bad hair day. "I see you've finally sprouted...short stuff."  
  
The bridge crew chuckled, causing the captain to sieve angrily. He turned around and shot his staff a nasty look which quickly shut them up. "I am Zarnak the science pirate! And because of your transgressions with the fabric of the stars, we hereby demand tribune from you and the deed of the universe!" The crazy captain bared his teeth as he threw a fist into his control panel, almost shattering the dirty glass display. "You must obey!"   
  
Tenchi and Sasami sweat dropped. "He's not kidding around, little Washu..." said Tenchi, looking up at the grinning Romulus captain. He looked back down at Washu, who was sticking her tongue out of the corner of her mouth, rather playfully in fact.  
  
"You do really think you own the universe's playbook?" said the scientist, positioning her hands sternly on her waist. "It's not like you returned the book, hmmm?"  
  
"Washu?" asked the prince of Earth. "What's this all about?"  
  
The scientist looked back for a second and winked. "Oh relax! I'm having a little fun!"   
  
Marvin stepped out of his chair and crept closer to the screen, obviously to get a better look. The crazy captain was nearly foaming at the mouth. "Oh, I didn't think that you would ever remember what happened back at the science academy. Well, you're wrong."  
  
The redhead snickered. "Oh, I remember now..."  
  
"What did you do?" asked Sasami, unable to look up fully at the view screen, "That could get him so angry?"   
  
"Nothing horrible," said the redhead, as she beamed a smile back at the little princess. "Maybe it was putting the unhatched eggs of a Teluride Space Herpes in his dorm room. The baka couldn't get near a girl for two months!"  
  
Marvin's bridge crew broke out into a chorus of laughter, his weapon's officer chuckling especially loud.   
  
"That wasn't it!" The crazy Romulus took out a nasty modified G.P. pistol from his holster, and shot his disobedient weapons officer until he was dead.   
  
"You signed out that blasted book 'The Secrets of the Universe' in my name, little Washu. And then you kept quiet as they kicked me out of school!"  
  
"Oh, that was me?" chimed the scientist. "Now why would I do such a thing?"  
  
"Little Washu!" said Tenchi, turning toward the scientist. "That was mean..."  
  
The redhead turned back to the two of her ship mates and beamed. "What? I signed out the most important piece of science literary genius so he wouldn't cause space-time paradoxes! I was sick and tired of cleaning up everyone's little universes. Sheesh!" She turned away and pounded her keyboard. "After all, I wrote the book as an undergrad!"  
  
Tenchi sweat dropped. "Oh..."  
  
Little Marvin wasn't done threatening. "And now, Washu, you will pay for your transgressions."   
  
He turned back to the view screen and aimed this pistol at the scientist, honestly thinking that it would really work. "Surrender now or I blow you and your friends to smithereens! Disobey me and you will perish!"   
  
  
~~~~~  
  
  
Ayeka sighed as came in from outside, in her hands was the dusty house broom from her morning cleaning. Now that she had swept the front porch clean, her chores were completed for the day. How lovely.  
  
She walked into the living room where the other two ladies of the house had been...napping. Mihoshi and Ryoko were like a couple of twins, spread out the huge couch; each of their heads on opposite armrests of the large sofa. The both of them were snoring beautifully, in perfect rhythm to each other.  
  
"Well...well..."  
  
Ayeka tightly clenched the broom handle, thinking of doing a rather un-princess like maneuver. But her judgment got the best of her as she went over to take a closer look.  
  
The cool spring morning for them to be lazy had been a perfect excuse for Ryoko. She had discovered by one of Tenchi's imported calendar's that this day was called St. Patrick's day by some Earthers, a holiday to one of their local 'patron's saints' of history. So bemused by images of far-off locals drinking and celebration on TV, she instantly declared herself 'Irish' and thusly joined in with the ceremonies.   
  
Ayeka doubted very much that Ryoko was religious or a saint. But here she was, sermonizing the house with the strangest of lyrics that Ayeka had ever heard. It sounded like a dying whale in her mind. After 'liquoring up' with Mihoshi, the two of them sung some more until finally passing out of the couch late that night. The evidence of the empty sake bottle by the foot of the couch was a sign enough that the celebration was over.   
  
The princess watched as a single cherry blossom petal float above the couch. A single snore by the bubbly G.P. Officer and the pink petal would push high in the air above Ryoko's head. A few seconds later, Ryoko's harsh snore would push the flower petal back over to Mihoshi's side of the couch. The princess of Jurai couldn't help not to snicker at the whole bit.  
  
Ayeka decided to wake them up with the long handle of the broom, her manners finally folding. She was about to poke when Mihoshi's wristband beeped urgently, waking her from her slumber.   
  
"Uuuughh...what now..." The blond in trying to avoid reality, tucked her head under the couch pillows, chasing the interruption away. She also let out a little kick that smacked right into the space pirate's cheek, waking poor Ryoko out of her sake-induced slumber.   
  
It didn't wake her immediately, but what it did do was interrupt Ryoko's breathing pattern: causing the space pirate to swallow the falling cherry blossom petal whole. She choked on the petal immediately, waking up from her artificially induced slumber.   
  
She turned to the floor and spit the flower part out like it was bad alcohol -- which for Ryoko, never happened. "Who? What? Where..." crankily said the space pirate, stretching her arms out wide.   
  
"Oh, I see you're finally up."  
  
Her eyes shot dirtily up at Ayeka. "What do you want, your highness?"  
  
Ayeka cover-chuckled her mouth as she pointed to Mihoshi's still blaring wrist alarm. "I believe your partner in crime has a call."   
  
"Figures as much." Ryoko continued to glare at the princess before turning her attention to the blond. "Hey, answer your alarm, damn it!"   
  
Mihoshi ignored the alarm by snuggling deeper into the couch cushions. "...Oh...Nobuyuki..." she moaned, grabbing the pillow with both of her arms.  
  
"I think I'm going to be sick," smacked Ryoko, hoping the blond wouldn't say anything else.  
  
"Give me a hand here," said Ayeka as she tried to pull the couch pillow away from the sleeping Mihoshi. She was providing a surprising amount of resistance. "She's got an iron grip."  
  
"Too tough for you, little princess?" Nevertheless, Ryoko gave a hand as the two rivals finally awoke the blond from her slumber.  
  
"Eeeep! My goodness! I almost missed the alarm!" Tumbling out of bead in one heave, Mihoshi was quick to check the alarm on her wrist and shut it off. "The very dangerous Captain Zarnak has just entered the Sol solar system! He must be treacherous for my alarm to go off like that."  
  
"Oh dear," checkered Ayeka as she looked closer at the blond. "Isn't my little sister is up there with Tenchi and Washu? We had better get up there quick!"   
  
"Well," paused the bubbly blond, "I'm not sure we can just run up there and check it out. After all, I need orders from central command or from a royal house."  
  
"We're going. Now," countered Ayeka.  
  
"But...I just said..." said Mihoshi.  
  
Ayeka's jaw dropped. "Just get your jacket on! I'm sure we'll get permission on the way." The first princess of Jurai blinked again at remembering Mihoshi's words. "Oh, who is this Captain Zarnak, actually? He sounds so harmless with such a silly name."  
  
Mihoshi pecked at the controls of her wrist alarm, getting more information. The wristband seemed to work for a second before gurgling like a broken drain. "He's a...science pirate? Classification code...FUBAR?" The blond shook her head. "I don't know what it means!   
  
"I know!" Ryoko laughed at the absurdity, pushing the purple-haired princess out of the way. "Oh, Washu is going to have so much fun! I want to go!"  
  
"She is not coming," bleeped Ayeka, taunting the space pirate at the same time.  
  
"Hey, my mom is up there!"  
  
The blond fumbled at her control cube, finally changing into her G.P. uniform, "Well, I guess Ryoko can go because of...family reasons... "There's nothing in the G.P. manual about guests..."  
  
Ayeka didn't take Mihoshi's news well, preferring to look away from the grinning cyan-haired space pirate. "Never mind about that. But we have to go!" She grabbed the G.P. officer by the wrist and ran out the door with the blond airhead in tow.   
  
The space pirate transformed into her suit for battle. "Hey! Wait a minute! I want to save Tenchi from the big, bad science pirates!"  
  
  
~~~~~  
  
  
"...Little one," said the voice, full of reason and compassion, "...I have told you about the river of time?"  
  
"No," said the younger one, still quite curious. "I...have never heard of that place."   
  
"...Well, let me tell you. In the river of time, it is time itself that flows from one point to another. It takes everything around it -- planets, suns, living beings, and even gods within its current. The waters of time are an immoveable force -- always flowing; always going; always a constant around us.   
  
"...Yet...time is never a constant. It always seems different, at each and every moment."  
  
"I know, it's like that," said the younger voice. "It happens when I make rice all the time. If I watch it steam, the rice always seems to take longer. If I'm busy doing something else like chopping vegetables, then time does seem to fly."  
  
"...You are correct. That is how you perceive time. Time is a contact, always going, always flowing. But time is huge, the flow of it all moves everything. And when there is a such a flow, sometimes it swirls and turns in many different directions. Time is...not always a constant."  
  
"But how is it different? I set a timer each time I steam rice. And each time, it takes 25 minutes. It can't go backwards."  
  
"...Yet, it can. Time is a river. And because it is so huge, the currents of times truly move boundaries that define time itself. No flow is ever perfect -- and in order to maintain such a perfect that is all around us...in such imperfect world...a little bit of time will stream upwards."  
  
"I think I see that..."  
  
"...Just like the giant rivers on the world you are on now....their are channels within rivers of water that flow upstream. Those major waters, they taste with the flavor of salt from the sea. The only way they are brackish is that the flow goes both ways, even if the eye only sees one way."  
  
"Hai..."  
  
  
~~~~~  
  
  
"You will surrender!" shouted the captain, his voice hollow from all the screaming. "Be it may is, you will yield to me, Washu!"   
  
Tenchi sweat dropped. "Isn't he going to give up yet?"  
  
"Eventually," said Washu, ignoring the science pirate. "A couple of more minutes and he'll beg to be dead."  
  
Behind the commander, the weapons officer's controls had overheated and cracked out its juice so much that its surface could fry an egg. The rest of the crew was just as puzzled; giving up after trying every capturing device ever imagined. In fact, most of the other crew had suddenly made themselves very scarce.   
  
The cabbit ship had been much too quick, darting to and fro like a hummingbird escaping the claws of a hawk. Tenchi didn't even think Ryo-ohki was touched from any of the blast, the ship clearly superior to the science pirate's vessel. Yet, Washu had refused to let Ryo-ohki return fire, humbling Zarnak even more.   
  
"You...you..." His prize had been lost, his crew had abandoned him. The only thing left to shatter was his giant ego -- and even that was artificial to begin with.   
  
"Well, Little Marvin. I do believe we are at a standstill," said Washu, smiling as wide as a full moon.   
  
"Don't call me that!" screamed back the disillusioned captain. Tenchi could tell that a mutiny of Marvin's crew wasn't that far behind -- he could imagine the rest of the bridge crew was already organizing the mutiny below decks. Washu certainly didn't push the button, but she was certainly a willing executioner.  
  
"Washu..." pleaded Sasami. She took a step back as if under attack by a headache.  
  
"Sasami?" The redheaded scientist took a second to look back at the bored second princess of Jurai. "Are you all right?"  
  
"Sorry...I'm just tired, that's all." She let out a convincing yet weak smile. "I have to make dinner soon."  
  
"Ahhh, then I think it's time to go home. But watch this last experiment, first!" Washu turned back to her monitor and plugged data into to keyboard at a furious rate. A delightful grin swept across her face. "Oh, this is so much fun!"   
  
The white hole below both their ships responded to Washu's pleas, emitting dangerous lightening and other showy fireworks. "Time to send you back, Marvin. I love reunions by the way -- be sure to drop me a line if you're in the solar system sometime."  
  
Zarnak clenched his fist, his ego refusing the budge. "You insidious baka! How dare you play me for a fool!" He poked a few key commands at his seat controls, his face flushed with anger.  
  
Washu looked up at a corner view screen and then at her monitor. "Hey! Don't do that!" She tried to respond to his scientific messing with more manipulations. "Don't you know you can't assign another constant of the universe to the white hole! You'll rip the fabric of the cosmos!"  
  
The mad pirate looked up from his keypad. "I don't care, little Washu." He spat the words improperly as a sign of disrespect. "You're all joining me in hell -- for I have set the table!"  
  
  
~~~~~  
  
  
"Mihoshi! You're going the wrong way!" said Ayeka, the three of them aboard Mihoshi's G.P. spacecraft. Each of them were battle dressed and ready for a fight. "You want to veer left after that frozen gas ball."  
  
"Hey! What did you say!" Ryoko gritted her teeth, equally looking to tear limbs off with the slice of her sword.  
  
"Oh dear, then you do remember what I called you last night after you passed out..." She chuckled for a second to swallow the words. "Actually, I meant that-" as she pointed at the space anomaly on right side of the screen.  
  
"Huh?" blurted the space pirate, preferring to be blunt as a hammer. "Well, I'm not the one who talks about Mommy dearest in her dreams..."  
  
"Why you..." The purple princess parked both of her hands on her waist, totally upset at being outmaneuvered.   
  
The frizzy blond turned around in her seat, looking all flustered. "Now was that left or right? I get so confused..."  
  
The two rivals huddled up while closely watching the screen in front of them. "I think we found what we were looking for," motioned Ryoko to Mihoshi to see.  
  
"I believe you're right..." said Ayeka, "For once."  
  
The space pirate let out a rather glum smirk. "Mom's playing pirate vs. pirate. Geez, I can't believe she's having fun like that without me!"  
  
Indeed, the entire bridge lit up with the light of the white hole in space. With Mihoshi still flustered, Ryoko did a little hand-holding the controls of the ship. View screens showed the happy Ryo-ohki and the Romulus science pirate's ship in a dance across the gape of the whirlwind of light; skipping to and fro like a couple of gay lily frogs.  
  
"Mihoshi," chimed Yukinojo, the ship's G.P. computer, "It appears that the white hole is an artificial passage connecting to the far reached Romulus space."  
  
"I beg your pardon," interrupted Ayeka, "But I distinctively told Tenchi not to travel out of the solar system with my sister. And what does he do? He lets Washu map out this intergalactic tunnel." She slapped her forehead in frustration. "Why can't they just calmly go for a picnic or a walk like are normal people?"  
  
"But that's so boring!" The space pirate leaned on a bulkhead and sighed.   
  
The princess continued to watch the two ships dart back and forth. "What are they doing?" asked Ayeka.  
  
Ryoko looked down at the display, watching her Ryo-ohki jump to and fro like a mongoose escaping the grasp of the cobra -- with always the mongoose playing with its pray like a cat to a ball of string. "Awww damn, they're having fun! No fair!"  
  
The Romulus ship had had enough as it trickled to a stop, its hull steaming off excess energy. It certainly appeared that the two ship were done with their round of shenanigans.   
  
"Mihoshi," said Yukinojo, "I believe Ryo-ohki has won."  
  
Ryoko pointed the blond to move closer to the drifting science pirate's ship. "Quick, let's arrest them!"  
  
"Ummm, I guess so..." said Mihoshi, aiming her G.P. ship toward the enemy. "They are most wanted criminals."  
  
"Oh brother," chimed Ayeka, "why do I see a nightmare coming."  
  
The ship shook, throwing Ayeka and Ryoko into each other. If they didn't bump each other off, the two of them would had been kissing bulkhead.   
  
It made Ayeka's stomach lurch. "What...happened?"  
  
"Damn...that wasn't fun..."  
  
The space underneath changed from the calm drift of the white hole into the uneasiness storm of swirling whites and grays. Whereas only white and black had been, the fabric of space cracked open gaping wounds that bled blood-red, licking with energy that was nothing but unchecked power.  
  
Mihoshi's sensors didn't like it what it detected either as every warning siren and light went off on her bridge. "Oh! What do I do?"  
  
  
~~~~~  
  
  
"But why are you telling me this now?" asked Sasami. "Couldn't there been...a better time?"  
  
"...It's going to happen. And sooner rather than later." The voice seem to sing to Sasami every so gently. "I must, dear Sasami, tell you."  
  
Sasami tried to give a reply, but the words were not coming. Courage took a back seat, if only for a second.  
  
"...Hai, there really isn't a good time, nor the right time. But...I must."  
  
The little one finally put her verbal foot forward. "Then tell me..."  
  
Her voice was strained. "...You must listen to me, Sasami. Listen to the will of your sister."  
  
"But," she said, pausing for a second to tug at her hair in a bit of restraint, "I dare not."  
  
"...Why," said the longing voice, "do you not listen to your sister? Why are you so disobedient?"  
  
She stopped and thought about the voice's question, daring not to answer. "I knew it is true. I didn't want to hear." The little girl stomped around again, upset with the thought. "And you didn't want to tell me? Why not?"  
  
"...yes," said the voice, "I didn't want to tell you. I didn't think you would understand." She paused and breathed a sigh of relief. "But...now I will tell you, and now you are listening."  
  
"Hai," said Sasami, bowing to the voice.  
  
  
~~~~~  
  
  
White turned red in front of Washu's eyes, matching the crimson color of her hair. "Oh, this is bad...very bad..."  
  
Tenchi saw the little scientists typing away at her holo-keyboard, at speeds that were inhumanly possible. Still, Washu's effort had no effect on the space around them as it tossed Ryo-ohki around like a derelict rowboat.  
  
"...meya!..."  
  
"We know, Ryo-ohki," said Sasami. "Hang in there!"  
  
Tenchi raised his head, feeling quite helpless. "What can I do, little Washu?"  
  
The scientist ignored Tenchi. "No time...no time...no time!"  
  
The Romulus ship in front of them drifted into the angry swirls of the red hole in space. They watched the shearing whirlpool of hot energy cut the enemy ship into ribbons. It imploded and collapsed into the center of the disturbance, seemingly having no discernable on the wounded sky.  
  
And then, it happened.  
  
"Awww, shit!" screamed Washu, banging her keyboard for the last time; the scientist helpless to stop a total cosmos meltdown.   
  
The evil red whirlpool expanded with a pop and blew apart like leaves scattering in the wind. In its place resonated out a tidal wave of energy, hot-white and seemingly deadly to the touch.   
  
"What in the world is that!" pointed Tenchi, watching the ribbons of energy collide with the nearby dark rings of Neptune. The ice crystals in Neptune's ring shattered like breaking glass. All the boy could do was gulp for his life.  
  
"Resonance wave. Marvin messed with the universe bad, and now his little gift is the cosmos kicking back."   
  
"Run Ryo-ohki! Run!" said Sasami, the cabbit sensing trouble already and fleeing the solar system planet.  
  
But there was not enough time. For as the wave of red hit upon them, everything turned to white...   
  
  
~~~~~  
  
  
"Mihoshi!" Yukinojo seemed to take an extra long pause as if it was looking into the pit of the madness below. The computer didn't wait for an answer as it revved its engines to accelerate out of trouble.  
  
It had barely moved forward when the resonance wave just nicked them, totally draining the ship's energy. The G.P ship went dead as all its internal lighting went out, save for a couple emergency ones on battery power.  
  
"Wha...what happened!" The blond scampered out of her seat, pushing herself between to two rivals. "We must have blown a fuse!" she said, scattering towards the back of the ship.   
  
Ayeka yelled at the space pirate. "And what in Tsunami did you do now?"  
  
"Like it's always my fault!" Ryoko looked up into space as it turned from black to red. "That's not good at all..." She suddenly got very serious, turning her eyes back at to Ayeka.  
  
"Oh my." The princess looked just as serious, "I do hope Tenchi and my sister are all right."  
  
Another red wave came, this time hitting the ship squarely. Suddenly, everything exploded into a pure white. They never had a shot.  
  
  
~~~~~  
  
  
No, not again!  
  
She was not going to let her Tenchi lose like this. He would had never had a chance against the out of control white hole, now a screaming unstable vortex from a cursed place. None whatsoever.   
  
She...she...knew that it was time. Time to remove the cloak and take...a step forward.   
  
She saw the wave approach Earth. Protect! she screamed in her mind. Protect at any cost! Must...not let him die...or anyone else.  
  
...and in vain.  
  
And she made it so.  
  
...as time halted.  
  
She made it stop.  
  
...and the ship of Tsunami appeared where the red hole had been, its ten wings extended and exposed. They shone like they were the hands of a god, twirling through the red sea like paddles on a steamboat. And where turmoil had once been was awash in pure magical light. The touch from the goddess was as pure as creation itself.  
  
The power of Tsunami had saved the day.  
  
  
~~~~~  
  
  
"What happened?" asked Sasami, looking for her voiced companion.   
  
"We did it," said Tsunami, turning to face her fellow sister. "You tapped my part of you and used the power of Tsunami. You stopped it."  
  
The little girl jumped for joy. "We did it! We saved Tenchi! We saved...everyone!"   
  
She looked around. Where black had been was white. Where space had been was white. The walls, the ceiling, the floor -- everything was white.  
  
"I did it, Tsunami. I did it to save Tenchi."  
  
The goddess nodded as she came closer to the little girl. "So you did it to save Tenchi?"  
  
Sasami nodded. "Uh-huh. I would do it again, each and every time."  
  
Tsunami circled the other part of herself. "That much is true, sister. I can hear they are saved. Don't you see it, Sasami? Don't you see the joy?"  
  
As if the ocean's parted, Sasami could see through the fog of white at the happiness in Tenchi's life. She could see the incredible joy in her sister's life, and then there was Ryoko, Washu, and Mihoshi.  
  
She saw the past as a reflection in the water and all the happy and gay times that went along with it. She could see herself cooking their dinner and then everyone sitting down and enjoying their meal. And at their cheerful faces. Oh, the memories were so precious! She could see them at anytime now! And it was perfect!  
  
"Sasami...look carefully...now..."   
  
At Tsunami's plea, Sasami looked and saw Tenchi and Washu hugging each other safely. She watched at the redness disappear where Washu's white hole had once been. And then, there was her sister and Ryoko and Mihoshi...all safe...  
  
And then there was a stir of sadness around, starting with her sister and finally with the rest of the her family. No...something was terribly...wrong! How could there be such sadness in times of great joy!   
  
"No...what is that..." She took a step back from the images. "I will not look!"  
  
"Sasami...you must...please..." The goddess was pleading for her fellow sister to turn her attention back at the details and gaze again. "I know I can't force you...but please..."  
  
"But I can't!" screamed the blue-haired girl. "I won't! I did it because of Tenchi." She shut off the world from everywhere, closing her eyes to the white.   
  
Tsunami came closer and pressed her own forehead gently onto Sasami's, igniting the powers that lived in both of them. "I'm sorry, little sister. But I must. I must do this for you... Please...be gentle..."  
  
The white parted again. It came as rush as wind swept blowing fallen cherry blossoms down the steps of the shrine. Everyone was there on the high hill just above the cave, a place very familiar to Sasami. She remembered Tenchi coming up and finding him up there one snowy night. And now, she saw him there again in the cold rain...with her sister...and everyone else.  
  
She watched as Tenchi lowered a bouquet of flowers to the ground next to a...marker. Stone ones...one that was old and faded but the other one was newer, smaller, and more polished. And marked on the gravestone...  
  
"NO! Why are you showing me this!" Sasami pushed away her goddess away, sniffling the tears away. "I did it...to save him!"  
  
"Sasami!' Tsunami went up and motherly petted Sasami's beautiful hair, hugging her again. "Shhhh..."  
  
The little one broke out into tear again. "Save him...I saved all their lives..."  
  
The goddess looked down at her own self. "Now, I know that isn't true, little sister. You also know that isn't true..."  
  
The little one looked up with her tear-soaked eyes, "But..."  
  
"I am a goddess, little one."  
  
Sasami sniffled again. "I can't let..."  
  
"You must, dear sister. For I am part of you. And you are part of me. You are becoming goddess, and I am...changing as well."  
  
"But!" Sasami objected as the tears streamed down her face. "I promised to save everyone! I can! I will! I can't let you..!"  
  
"You must! Do you remember the river that flows forwards and backwards. But you chose to freeze the rivers, didn't you?"  
  
"I had to! I can't let you die, Tsunami!"   
  
"Please..." pleaded the goddess.   
  
"I can save them all." Sasami had fallen almost to her knees if it wasn't for the catch of her fellow sister. "I saved Tenchi! I saved the Earth. I can save them all! And most of all, I can save you!"  
  
The goddess scolded her fellow sister. "And in this place, on the edge of a stable black hole in space." Sasami could almost see the twinkle in her fellow sister's eyes. "A place without time. There is no end, there is no beginning. I didn't think you could do it..."  
  
"Hai..." The little girl nodded. "I saved you...from what I knew..."   
  
Tsunami let out a little smile. "And you can see it all. The past, the present, and the future. You can see it, feel it-"  
  
"And almost touch it," said Sasami, finishing her fellow sister's sentence. "But I can never touch it, can I?"  
  
Tsunami shook her head. "A good, selfish try...my pure fellow sister." Tsunami nodded an affirmative as she looked down at her sister with tears of her own. She moved her hands down and gently cupped her fellow sister's chin. "You realize it now, don't you. That I am a part of you..."   
  
"And you are a part of me;" finished Sasami. "That in order to live, I will grow..."  
  
"...and I will become younger."  
  
"And as I grow..." pleaded Sasami.  
  
"I will finally...perish." Tsunami looked up nobly a bit more before letting herself fade into the background of white. "So do you understand, little one."  
  
"Hai..." sniffed the little one.  
  
"...Then, it is time..."   
  
"Please don't go!" Sasami reached out to the fading goddess, trying to catch her fellow sister by the sleeve. "I still need you!"  
  
"...I will always be there with you. A part of you..."  
  
"Please..."  
  
"......little one, you know what you must do. Let me go...Let all of it go. And wish again..."   
  
"I know that now..." as she clapped her hands.  
  
And everything was white once again.  
  
  
~~~~~  
  
  
"I'm...back?"  
  
Sasami was aboard Mihoshi's G.P. craft in the crew quarter's area. She blankly stared at the stacks of dirty clothes, the tallish piles were just unthinkable. She could not believe that a ship of the Galaxy Police could ever be this messy.  
  
"Meya! Meya!"  
  
Her fellow cabbit friend was in human mode, hugging Sasami tightly around the legs. "I'm here Ryo-ohki! Oh, how I missed you!"  
  
"Meya!"  
  
"Sasami!" Ayeka was first to recognize that her sister had magically appeared on the G.P. vessel. She ran up to her fellow sister and gave her a giant hug. "We didn't know where you went! Don't scare me like that!"   
  
"I'm OK..." she rang, returning the hug to Ayeka before everyone else found them.  
  
"Sasami!" waved Tenchi, "There you are!"  
  
Ryoko shot Sasami a good look. "Hey kid. Glad you made it back in one piece."  
  
Sasami sniffled. "Yea, I made it...with a little help."  
  
"Yea," nodded Tenchi as he got his hug in. "I don't know what we would had done without you."  
  
Sasami saw that everyone was there except for Washu. "Ummm..."  
  
"Oh, she's out fixing the mess that Marvin created. Something about super strings being knotted up worse than a ball of cabbit yarn."  
  
"...Meya."  
  
Ryoko shot her Ryo-ohki a dirty look, "Hey! I didn't say it was your ball of yarn!"   
  
"Well, I'm sure glad that you're all right, Sasami." Washu popped out from the middle of nowhere, in her simple jumpsuit and suspender's outfit. She took a half step back at the little girl and blinked. "Sasami?"  
  
"Oh, I'm here," said Sasami. "Always will be." She let out a little kawaii smile and tilted her head to the side.   
  
The scientist nodded, reaching out for Tenchi to put the prince of Earth into a headlock. "And I owe it all to Tenchi, actually. Thank you for helping me seal the unstable white hole in space!"  
  
Tenchi sweat dropped. "I...did? What did I do this time?"  
  
Sasami giggled, politely covering her mouth in surprise.  
  
"Meya!"  
  
"You said it Ryo-ohki!" chimed Sasami, but the cabbit had already skipped to the bridge of the G.P. ship where everyone else was. She could almost make out the shouting on the bridge...thought the specifics seemed to escape her at the moment.  
  
She took a step forward when a familiar voice rang in her head, a younger version of herself. "Remember Sasami...."  
  
Sasami looked up and found the shadowed image of her younger self, sitting joyously on a high shelf. "Tsunami!"  
  
Little Tsunami nodded. "Remember Sasami...great power that I bestow on you comes the responsibility. When you use it, be sure it is for the wise and for the soul, and not for following the heart. You understand, don't you..."  
  
"I do..." She took another look at Tsunami, the younger of the two now. "You are my little sister!"  
  
"Hai!" Tsunami winked as she leaped down to the ground, handing on her feet perfectly. "Ahhh, to be a child! So wonderful!" She suddenly danced merrily around while twirling in her dress, her shadow suddenly caught up in the moment.  
  
Sasami nodded a thank you before leaving the crew quarters, at the same time watching her little sister fade away... "Goodbye Tsunami...goodbye..."   
  
After she left, a pile of clothes moved as blond haired poked through. "...Is it the end of the universe yet? Yukinojo? Ryoko? Is anyone there!" Mihoshi tugged at something as another pile of clothes fell from out from the sky.   
  
"Why is it so dark in here! Help!"   
  
  
~~~~~  
  
  
Author's notes:  
  
Hmmm, it's been a while since I've written a Tenchi fict, one shots for me these days are so extraordinary rare. Maybe this could be a good habit. But who knows? First, I'd like to thank MaryRN51 for the idea, even though she will deny it all in the end. Also for my proofreader Dark Jezter, who's reading this now and grinning like a Cheshire cat. Oh, stole a joke from 'The Ice Pirates,' you can officially kill me now. This one was not easy, folks. =^_^=  
  
- Incantrix  
incantrix@dreamclouds.com  
  
  
~~~~~ 


End file.
